Folding car-step



No. 623,400. Patented Apr. I8, I899.

N; GRAY.

FOLDING GAB STEP, ("0 Model.) pplication filed Sept. 29, 1 9

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NELSON GRAY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FOLDING CAR-STEP.

SIPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 623,400, dated. April 18, 1899.

Application filedSeptember 29, 1898. Serial No. 692,166. (No model.)

To (all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON GRAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Oar-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in carsteps seeking to provide a simple easily-operated car-step wherein a portion of the folding step-section independent of the steps of such section may be adjusted to serve as an eX- tension of car-platform.

The invention has for further objects other improvements; and it consistsin certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional view on about line 1 1 of Fig.2, and Fig. 2 is a side view of a car-step when raised. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on about line 3 3 of Fig. 2 with step down. Fig. I is a perspective view illustrating the gate in closed position. Fig. 5 is an end view of the steps, showing a different form of connection between the operating-lever and the step-section; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the gate.

By my invention I provide a folding carstep which can be inverted and is provided on its under side with a platfornrsection, which constitutes an extension of a car-platform when the steps are inverted and out of position for use. In connection with such construction I provide means for inverting the step-section and for securing it in inverted position, wherein it forms an extension of a car-platform. I also prefer to provide lock devices for the operating-lever and for the latches which secure the step-section in folded position. Furthermore, I provide a gate for the outer end of the platform, which is automatically opened and closed by the movements of the folding step-section, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the construction as shown the folding step-section A has a suitable number of steps 13, which number may be varied to suit the conditions under which the improvement may be used. This step-section A is pivoted at C, so its steps may be folded or turned from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1. In the latter arrangement the platform-section D on the under side of the folding sec tion A is adjusted into register with and forms an extension of the fixed platform D. So far as I am informed, it is broadly new to provide on the under side of a step-section which can be inverted a platform-section, which in the inverted position of the step forms an extension of the fixed car-platform. This feature of my invention may be carried out in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3, wherein the folding step-section A is used in connection with a fixed step-section A, or it may be carried out in the construction shown in Fig. 5, wherein the folding step-section includes all the steps and no fixed steps are employed. In this Fig. 5 the step-section is shown lowered for use in full lines and folded in dotted lines and the platform, section D is shown as operating in like manner to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

-When the folding step-section is adjusted to folded position, as shown in Fig. 1, thelatch E, which may have a treadle E, as shown in Fig. 3, catches over a pin E and locks the step-section in folded position. A suitable lock, such as shown at E in Fig. 3, may be employed for locking the step-section in folded position.

For turning the step-section A from one position to the other I prefer to employ a handlever, which may be the lever F shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or the lever G shown in Fig-5. In Fig. 3 the lever F is pivoted at F and has a rack-segment F meshing with a pinion F while the lever G is pivoted at G and has its lower arm G connected by a link G with the folding step-section, the operation of both constructions being obvious from the drawings. The gate H is connected with, carried by, and arranged to be automatically operated by the movements of the folding stepsection. As shown in the drawings, the gate H is pivoted at H to the folding step-section and lies when such section is in position for use fiat against the platform-section D, being held in such position, which is shown in Figs. 3 and 5, by the spring 1. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 4.) At its free or swinging end the gate H has a projection or projections H at one or both sides which engage ways H in the carframing and open the gate as the folded stepsection is adjusted to folded position. The ways H are flared at their lower ends at H to facilitate the proper entrance of the projections H as shown in Fig. 3. In the operation of the described construction as the step-section A is adjusted from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 2 and at the projections H will enter the lower ends of the ways H and travel upward therein to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4,wherein they form a closure at the sides of the platform, as is desired.

What I claim is 1. A folding car-step section which can be inverted and is provided on its under side with a platform-section arranged to form an extension of the fixed platform when the stepsection is inverted substantially as set forth.

2. A folding car-step section which is provided with steps, and below the same with a platform -section movable whereby it may form an extension of the fixed platform in the folded position of the step-section substantially as set forth.

3. A folding step-section pivotally supported whereby it maybe inverted and provided with a platform-section fixed in relation to the steps of the folding section and movable therewith, whereby to form an extension of the platform in the folded position of the steps substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a step section, a gate pivoted thereto, a spring for holding said gate closed against the step section and means whereby to adjust said gate to position for use as the steps are adjusted out of position for use, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the step-section provided with a platform and with a gate, means for holding the gate normally closed to or against the platform, devices for inverting the step-section and means for operating the gate when the step-section is adjusted out of position for use substantially as set forth.

6. A folding car-step section pivotally supported whereby it may be turned bodily upside down or inverted, and means whereby such sections may be inverted in adjusting the steps into and out of position for use, and the platform-section carried by thestep-section and arranged to form an extension of the car-platform in the inverted position of the step-section substantially as set forth.

7. A car'step section pivotally supported and movable bodily whereby it may be turned bodily upside down, guides for the gate, and

the gate jointed to the step-section and movable bodily therewith during a portion of the movement of the step section and in the guides during the balance of the movement of the step-section substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the swinging stepsection, the guides for the gate and the gate jointed at one end to the step-section and provided at its other end with means engaging the guides and movable with the movements of the step-section into and out of such engagement substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a swinging stepsection and platform of a gate pivotally mounted on the'platform and means, whereby when the step-sectionis swung to adjust the plat-form upward, the gate will be swung at right angles to the face of the platform to which it is pivoted.

10. The combination of the step -section having a platform adapted to be swung over the body of the step to form an extension of the platform, and a gate carried by the platform, said gate being so connected to the platform that when the platform is swung to form a platform extension, the gate will be at the outer portion of said extension substantially as set forth.

11. Api voted step-section and a gate jointed to the lower side thereof, such gate lying against thelower side of the step-section when such section is in use and adapted to be swung into a vertical position when the stepsection is swung upward.

12. The combination of the steps havinga swinging section adapted to be swung up over the body of the steps to form an extension of the platform, and a gate hinged to the under face of the step-section and adapted to be swung up into a vertical position when the step-section forms an extension of the platform.

NELSON GRAY. 

